Self closing bag



Dec. 14, 1937. c. ROSE SELF CLOSING BAG Filed Aug. 10, 1936 Patented Dec. 14, 1937 orrie SELF CLUSING BAG Charles Rose, Chicago, 111., assigner to Central Bag & Burlap (30., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application August 10, 1936, Serial No. 95,137

7 Claims.

My invention relates to bags, and has to do more particularly with bags which are designed to be filled after the complete fabrication thereof, with means provided for automatically closing the bag after the filling thereof, so that the bag and contents are immediately ready for shipment without the necessity of any sealing operation.

An object of my invention is to provide a bag of the type referred to with improved self-closing means which will be simple in construction, of increased efficiency, low in cost, and, in general, entirely satisfactory for the purposes desired.

Various other objects and advantages will, no doubt, suggest themselves to those skilled in the art as'the description proceeds.

Referring now to the drawing forming a part of this specification and illustrating certain improved embodiments of my invention:.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of bag embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line l4 of Fig. 3; I

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the valve, dedetached, used in the embodiment of Figs. 1-4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of a bag employing a modified form of my invention;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a corner of a bag embodying still another form of my invention;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the valve, detached, employed in the embodiment of Fig. '7; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 99 of Fig. 7.

Referring first to Figs. 1-4, inclusive, numeral ll) represents a bag which may be of any desired shape, size and material, but the embodiment shown is of rectangular shape and is preferably formed of a heavy grade of paper or of similar fibrous material. Bags of this type are commonly used for the shipment of relatively inexpensive granular or powdered material, such as fertilizer and other powdered chemicals, cereal feeds, etc., etc. The bag is preferably formed of a plurality of plies ,of paper, each ply being formed into a tube by securing the edges thereof to each other, as by means of adhesive, and adjacent tubes being secured to each other by like means, if desired. For simplicity, however, I have shown a single ply bag, it being understood that any desired number of plies or tubes may be used, according to the strength of the material and the strength required in the finished bag. lhe ends of the bag l0 may be closed by any suitable means, as, for example, by means of stitching l2, reinforcement being provided by means of strips l3, 5 3, of any desired material, such as paper of increased strength.

An opening it is provided for filling purposes, which opening may be of any desired shape and size, according to requirements. Bags of this type are ordinarily filled by means of a nozzle leading from a hopper or receptacle containing the material which it is desired to charge into the bag. 7 In my preferred embodiment the aperture is circular and of such size as to easily accommodate the usual filling nozzle. The aperture i5 is preferably disposed symmetrically with reference to an edge #6 of the bag and adjacent a corner. 9

Arranged inside of the bag adjacent to the opening E5 is a valve or self-closing member indicated generally by the numeral l8. Said valve comprises a strip of suitable material such as a relatively stiff grade of paper, or the like, having a moderate degree of resilience. Said strip comprises a portion 29 folded longitudinally as at 2! so as to lie'symmetrically on opposite sides of the edge l6 of the bag. The valve is secured to the inside surface of the bag by any suitable means. In the embodiment shown the stitching 52 extends through the portion 28 of the vaive and adhesive may also be provided as at 22. The portion 2!] of the valve is perforated as at 23 to form an opening registering with the aperture It provided in the wall of the bag proper.

The valve l 8 is folded back upon itself, as at 24, to form a portion 25. Said portion 25 is folded as at 26, said fold 26 corresponding with the fold 25 of the portion 20.

As shown in full lines in Fig. 3, theleaf 25 of the valve normally lies closely adjacent to the leaf 20, so as substantially to close the opening 25 of the bag and opening 23 of leaf 2B. When it is desired to fill the bag, the filling nozzle is inserted within said openings, pushing back the portion 25 of the valve to approximately the position shown dotted in Fig. 3 and thus permitting the material to fiow into the bag. If desired, the bag may be filled while resting upon a scale and filling may be discontinued when a desired weight of material has been charged into the bag. When filling has been completed, the nozzle is withdrawn and the natural resilience of the valve I8 will cause the leaf 25 to spring back along the fold 24, thus tending to close the bag. It will be obvious that, should the valve end of the bag be lowered, the contents will tend to flow against the leaf 25, thus forcing it more securely into closing position.

Fig. 6 illustrates an embodiment which is substantially similar to the embodiment of Figs. 1-5 except that, in lieu of a circular aperture, 9. diamond shaped aperture 28 is provided in the corner of the bag as well as in the adjacent leaf of the valve, the latter being otherwise similar to the valve shown in Figs. 1-5. Other aperture shapes may obviously be employed.

Figs. 7-9 illustrate an embodiment of my invention wherein my improved valve is adapted to a bag having a fiuted or gusseted edge. The bag indicated generally by the numeral 30 may be substantially similar to the bag shown in the other figures except that the sides are provided with V-shaped inwardly extending folds 32, permitting a substantial degree of expansion when the bag is filled. Adjacent one corner of the bag a filling opening 33, of any desired size and shape, preferably circular, is provided within the fold 32. In this case the valve, indicated generally by the numeral 34, comprises a W-shaped portion 35, said portion having a perforation 35 corresponding with the aperture 33 in the bag proper, and a similar portion 49 folded back along the line 2.

It is believed that the operation of the embodiment just described will be obvious, being substantially similar to that of the previously described embodiments, the folded back portion 46 tending normally to seal the opening 36 of the valve and the aperture 33 of the bag proper.

Devices embodying my invention have the great advantage that the closing of the valve is especially effective when the filling opening is lowered. Instead of the contents tending to leak out, they urge the valve into closer closing relation with the opening.

The longitudinal folding of the valve leaves'is also of value in stiffening and increasing the resilience of the valve, causing the free leaf quickly to spring back into closing position after the nozzle is withdrawn.

Furthermore, by having the valve opening symmetrical with regard to the edge of the bag, said opening may be punched after the forming of the tube, thus simplifying the fabrication of the bag.

Various other modifications and variations coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and hence I do not wish to be limited to the specific forms shown or uses mentioned, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted as broadly as the state of the art will permit.

I claim:

1. In combination, a bag having a filling aperture, and a valve normally closing said aperture, said valve having a leaf with an aperture registering with that of said bag and a folded back leaf normally sealing said apertures, said last mentioned leaf having its end free opposite the fold.

2. In combination, a bag having a fold and having a filling aperture adjacent said fold, and a valve normally closing said aperture, said valve having a leaf secured in said fold with an aperture registering with that of said bag and a folded back leaf normally sealing said apertures, said valve being formed of resilient material so that said folded back portion will tend normally to lie closely adjacent to the secured portion.

3. In combination, a bag having a filling aperture therein, and a valve normally sealing said aperture, said valve comprising a leaf secured to the inside of the bag and having a perforation registering with that of said bag, and a folded back leaf having its end free opposite the fold, said valve being formed of resilient material so that said folded back leaf will normally close said apertures.

4. In combination, a paper bag having a fold with an aperture therein, and a valve normally closing said aperture, said valve comprising a portion secured within said fold and having an aperture registering with that of the bag proper, and a folded back portion, said valve being formed of resilient sheet material so that the folded back portion will normally tend to close said apertures.

5. In combination, a bag having a filling aperture in an edge thereof, and a valve normally closing said opening, said valve having a leaf secured to the inside of said bag and having an aperture registering with that of said bag, and a folded back leaf normally closing said apertures, said leaves also each having folds registering with said bag edge, and being formed of resilient sheet material, causing said leaves normally to tend to nest.

6. In combination, a bag formed of paper and having a W-shaped fold with an aperture therein, and a valve normally closing said aperture, said valve comprising a W-shaped portion secured within said fold and having an aperture registering with that of the bag proper, and a folded back W-shaped portion, said valve being formed of resilient paper, so that the folded back portion will normally tend to close said apertures.

7. In combination, a bag having a filling aperture in an edge thereof, and a valve normally closing said aperture, said valve comprising a leaf secured to the inside of said bag and having an aperture registering with said first mentioned aperture and having a reversely folded leaf normally sealing said apertures, the end of said last mentioned leaf opposite the fold being free, and said leaves also having folds registering with said bag edge and being formed of resilient paper, whereby said leaves normally tend to nest.

CHARLES ROSE. 

